Their Final Battle
by Solange Del Soi
Summary: New student enters Hogwarts. Is she really what she supposed to be. Severus Snape has to find it out.
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer:  
  
I don't own any characters, that you may recorgnise, they are all the property of their respective writer J.K.Rowling.  
  
I've also read lots of fan fictions, so if you also recognize any of your inventions in the following chapters, it may be so.  
  
Give me a link and notification, and I will credit you all with great pleasure. I just took bits from everywhere and re-arranged them to my liking.  
  
Hope you like it all, and hope it won't take too long to finish the story. I have it all in my head, just need some time to put it in words.  
  
Thank you for paying attention to my little silly work and hope to see you reviews. 


	2. Hard Talk

Chapter 1.  
  
HARD TALK  
  
- Professor Dumbldore. Albus. Are you sure we should agree and fulfill that demand? It would be an absolutely unheard violation of the school rules! And totally unjustified! Especially these days, after You-Know-Who had been defeated for almost 11 years we should not indulge in such over- precautions.  
  
The Deputy Headmistress gave a reproachful look to her collocutor. She never doubted the Headmaster Dumbldore's judgements. Even surprisingly irrational at first sight, they always proved right in the long run. He always managed to see the core, and noticed good in people or events, where everyone else failed. But this time she felt obliged to state her total disapproval of the situation. Even Dumbldore could not put personal liking above the common sense and rules. At least, not now.  
  
Headmaster Dumbldore was sitting at the table of his study, watching thoughtfully at the fireplace with a lively comforting fire in it. He didn't interrupt the heady speech of his colleague.  
  
- Professor McGonagoll. Minerva. For almost eleven years I've been telling, that evil hasn't been defeated completely. Voldemort was bereft of his power, but not killed. He's been hiding somewhere, accumulating his strength and power. The battle is not over yet, and I'm afraid, many deaths will forego it. So, no additional measures can be called over precautions. I'm very glad, that the Superior Auror does'n listen to the Ministry's groundless affirmations about total suppression of Voldemort's followers and everyone's complete safety. It's reassuring to know that such an influential person continues supervising the training of the most powerful Aurors.  
  
- Lucrecius Serpentus definitely is one of the most powerful wizards and the most skilled and experienced Superior Auror and trainer of Aurors of all times, but let's put it clear, he's almost as paranoid, as Mad-Eye Moody. Or even worse. Alastor Moody's just his apprentice. As for the Lucrecius Serpentus. - McGonagoll shook her head in rebuke - That tragedy didn't teach him anything. We should let the children have their childhood and not force them into the hardships of the big world before their time. -  
  
- Yes, Professor. That tragedy didn't teach him anything. But it should have taught us. You' wrong as for my reasons of accepting Lucrecius' conditions. - Professor Dumbldore's blue eyes, holding the wisdom of ages, were piercing with heat right inside Professor McGonagoll's heart - It's not in my rules to judge the Aurors' trainee. Those Aurors trained by Serpentus are the most powerful wizards, thoroughly mastered the art of war. No other Auror or a Death Eater can confront them. And there's a too great responsibility lies in Serpentus' shoulders. He's the only one who can stop anyone of them if he becomes a traitor. And he'll never hesitate, as we know now. Though, even once is too much. I can't ask Serpentus for humanity, because the warrior's task will always be to kill a few to save many. But we are not warriors. And our task is to care about all and each one. And we should do our best to prevent the repitition of such tragedy. So I agree for this step not to deprive a child of it's childhood, but to give it the childhood while it's still a child. Now our task is to fill the hart of this child with love and humanity. And then it will be Serpentus's turn to finish the training.  
  
For some time two professors were sitting in silence, brooding over the past, which was holding so many mistakes, and so much sorrow, and over the future, which was no doubt holding as much sorrow, but it was holding the hope as well.  
  
Suddenly the Headmaster Dumbldore turned to the Deputy Headmistress, all the heat and sharpness gone from his stare, twinkles dancing in his eyes.  
  
- Tea, Minerva? 


	3. Hogwarts Express

Chapter 2  
  
HOGWARTS EXPRESS  
  
The King's Cross railway station was it's usual mess of an order. All people were running hurriedly either towards different platforms in fear of missing their trains, or towards the exit into the city, eager to breath in the fresh morning air after more or less long and tiresome travel. So, none of them cared to stare around and pay attention to the others.  
  
If anyone of them were not in such a hurry and cared to turn around in human usual and natural curiosity, he could be surprised or even stunned with the view of a thin girl, looking ten years old or younger, who walked alone with her chin up and wearing a very serious and content expression on her face and very strange-looking cloak or robe on her shoulders, pulling alongside a trunk, which looked twice bigger than her. Then the onlooker would stop to think, what such a little child could possibly do with such a big trunk and wearing such an unusual clothing, at the railway station in such an early hour of the last day of the summer school vocations. So small children were not supposed to travel alone with a large baggage, dressed wired. And if he also happened to be too responsible a citizen, he could even stop her and try to find some answers.  
  
  
  
But, luckily for that girl, no one spared any attention towards her, and the tiny little girl, wearing Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry robe, who pulled huge trunk with big basket on it, was strolling along the King's Cross station and approaching platform 9 3 / 4, unnoticed. Unnoticed by everyone, who related to the ordinary world. Muggle world. But alongside with this world there existed totally strange, mysterious and unknown wizarding world, to which the girl belonged. And many wizards and witches were gradually gathering in steady but thorough flows, avoiding making crowds and large noticeable flocks, towards the very same platform, equally unacknowledged by "muggles".  
  
Naturally the representatives of the wizarding community very well noticed the girl, and they noticed nothing very strange in her appearance. Just one more of the first years, who was going to her first travel at Hogwarts Express to the school. But still, there was something about her, which earned her reproaches from some of them.  
  
- How careless of her! All the students are supposed to change into the school robes in the train, and avoid walking along the streets in them, attracting attention of the muggles! Haven't her parents told her so?  
  
- Hmmm. darling, they had to. Unless she's one of these soon-to-be a Slytherin. And judging from her miserable complexion and impudent face expression, she ought to be the offspring of one of those pitiful inter- family Slytherin marriages, which preserve but degenerate their so-called pure blood.  
  
- Well, if they go on like that, sooner or later the Slytherin house would be spared of it's members. Ha!  
  
- Well, the sooner the better!  
  
- Tssk, tssk. You said Slytherin? Could she be the granddaughter of the Superior Auror?!  
  
- Oh, no! I heard that she has to enter this year! Could it be her?  
  
- Have you heard how they are trained? That's awful.  
  
- And she's going to study with our children! How could they dare?!  
  
- Her. And she's ment to be in Slytherin. They all came from there.  
  
- Oh. No!  
  
- Tssk, tssk, she may hear.  
  
- Honey, come to mommy, take care! Beware of that girl.  
  
- Tssk, tssk.  
  
But she either didn't notice those stares and whispering remarks, or didn't care, and continued her path, until she reached the Hogwarts Express, climbed it in, and occupied one of the few empty compartments left. There she arranged her luggage, set beside the window, and stared thoughtfully outside. Whenever she used to think about her first travel to Hogwarts, she expected being overwhelmed with excitement and expectations. But somehow she searched in her heart, and failed to find any. She felt nothing, everything, though, unordinary and unfamiliar, was taken by her for granted, and the absence of affection brought disappointment. Grandfather would definitely appreciate her lack of affection, because he never approved any emotions. Emotions meant weakness, and he could never allow weakness. But she dreamed for so long about the happy feelings this day could bring, that she could not suppress scornful and disappointed smile, which distorted her face.  
  
Suddenly there was a knock at the door, and it began to open.  
  
- Oh, no, not that! How could I forget to lock that damn door! Oh Merlin! Grandfather will be furious when he finds out! He warned me for so many times!  
  
"- Remember, my girl. The real Slytherin and future Auror can never afford befriending anyone. All the more so he cannot befriend anyone before the sorting ceremony, until it is known who is who. That's why for many centuries all the members of our family traveled to Hogwarts alone to avoid the unnecessary attachments."  
  
-Oh, Merlin! How could I manage to make a mistake from the very beginning! This is not like me I'm never mistaken!  
  
- All mistakes have their aftermaths, and we don't have the right for any! - She heard the familiar steel voice in her head, and paled.  
  
All this floated in her mind in one second, and she firmly decided to kick out anyone who intrudes to her solitude, when the door finally opened, and a twelwe-year old slightly confused boy entered the compartment.  
  
A dark-haired boy entered the compartment, and his eyes met with the eyes of a very short thin and delicate girl of his age, who had long dark curly hair and blue eyes, which now where wide open with fear and uncertainty, and all that made her look even younger. Thinking that she needed soothing in her misery, he forgot at once his own fears and confusion and approached the poor creature.  
  
- Hello. You're obviously traveling to Hogwarts for the first time. Don't be worried. Though, silly me, I'm worried great deal as well. It's mine first time as well. I will keep you company, and together we won't be that much scared. Do you mind?  
  
She was about to retort, that she did mind very much and insisted on his leaving the compartment, when her gaze stopped at the scar on the boy's forehead. And she said:  
  
You must be Harry Potter! - And when he smiled with surprise in return, she added with the sweetest smile: - No, I don't mind. My name is Serpentina Serpentus. Nice to meet you Harry. 


End file.
